In my copies of The Lord of the Rings
the y-tehta in "history" is conflated
with, and partly obscured by, the
previous o-tehta, and to me it looks
more like a single dot. But perhaps
the text is reproduced more clearly in
other editions. Are you sure about your
interpretation, Danny?

Yes, quite. This particular edition is a hardback edition where the
title page inscription is reproduced larger and less 'compressed' than
in the Ballantine paperback version. The inscription is very clear.
Actually to be honest, the y-tehta looks more like a 'check mark' than a
V; the left 'leg' is shorter than the right, but it seems that that's
because the o-tehta doesn't allow the left leg to extend up as far as it
should.